Electric cable coupling for railway vehicles



June 20, 1933. w. F. K. KAISER 1,914,572

ELECTRIC CABLE COUPLING FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed March 19, 1929 IIIIIlIII/IIIII 9 Envemtoc:

Patented June 20, 1933 UHTE STATES ATENT OFFICE WILI'IELM FRIEDRICH KARL KAISER, OF BEBLIN-LICHTENBERG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOB TO NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND STEEL CASTINGS GOMPAD Y, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO ELECTRIC? CABLE COUPLING FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Application filed. March 19, 1929, Serial No. 348,314, and in Germany March 20, 1928.

This invention relates to electric cable couplers for railway vehicles. Arrangements whereby such couplers are connected with railway draft couplers are well-known,

5 but with such arrangements movement of the cable couplers with respect to the draft couplers is permitted only in the direction of the longitudinal coupling axis of the draft coupler heads, the cable couplers be- 19 ing otherwise compelled to partake of the various displacements of the draft coupler heads out of their normal position. On account of this characteristic the arrangements referred to are objectionable, the displacements of adjacent cable coupler heads relatively to each other diminishing the current transmitting area or area of contact of said heads and also subjecting the contacts to wear or damage. Through the present invention these defects are avoided; this being accomplished by a special mounting whereby the cable coupler is applied to the draft coupler. According to this invention the electric cable coupler is so applied to the draft coupler that when the latter is disengaged from a mating coupler said cable coupler is maintained in a fixed relation to said draft coupler whereby the correct contacting of two cable couplings during engagement of the corresponding draft couplings is insured, said cable couplers, when coupling has been effected, being movable as a unit within sufficient limits with respect to the connected draft couplings so that displacements of the latter relative to each other during a trip do not impair the connection of the electric cable couplers. I

In the accompanying drawing illustrating by way of example certain constructions embodying my invention;

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through a head of an electric cable coupling, showing also the head of a draft coupling arranged beneath said cable coupling.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the lateral guides of two engaged electric cable couplers.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a coupler headof the electric cable coupler, and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a coupler head showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there are shown at a draft coupler heads which in the embodiment here disclosed are of the well known central bufier type. Mounted on said heads, preferably in pairs, are guide sleeves Z), which, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, are tapered forwardly so that in their forward part they form portions of hollow truncated cones, hollow truncated pyramids, or the like; whereas in their rearward portion they form hollow bodies of semi-cylindrical or semi-prismatical form. Into these guide sleeves project correspondingly shaped projections or lugs 0 of the coupling heads (Z of the electric cable coupling. These projections are tapered forwardly in the same sense as the guide sleeves Z). The backward end surfaces of the projections 0 are so formed that they permit a pivotal movement of the projections viz. a tilting about an imaginary horizontal axis lying in the plane of these end surfaces together with a simultaneous rectilinear longitudinal displacement in. the guide sleeves I) provided that the couplings a are in coupling engagement; and accordingly the projections 0 are pushed back out of the reduced or tapered part of the guide sleeves b by means of the contacting of the annular surfaces of the cable coupling heads (Z, the springs c acting upon the cable coupling heads (Z being compressed by this movement. These springs, when the coupling is disconnected, press the tapered parts of the projections 0 into the correspondingly shaped parts of the guide sleeves b and thereby give the cable coupling heads at a position insuring the proper contacting of the electric cable couplings, and the longitudinal axes of the cable coupling heads are thereby immovably fixed relative to the draft couplings a. The rearward endsurfaces of the projections 0 completely fill the open transverse section of the guide sleeves b, so that no dust or dirt can penetrate into said sleeves 6. Thus, there is avoided the endangering of the correct position of the coupling heads (Z when disengaged, which position insures the reliable closure of the coupling. The resiliently slidable contact pins f are arranged in the insulation 2' of the coupling heads (Z. In order to prevent damage, when coupling, to the ends of the contact pins 7 and the familiar rubber protecting ring 9" which prevents the entrance of moisture, the upper and lower edges of the front surface of the cable coupling are provided with projecting ribs h.

The contacts are under the influence of springs 70. The sum of the forces exerted by the springs is smaller than the force of the spring 0 so that the coupling heads (Z are not separated by the force of the springs 70.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In combination, a draft coupler, an electric cable coupler, means for projecting said cable coupler forwardly with respect to said draft coupler, and cooperating means on said couplers for guiding said cable coupler to projected position and providing for relative angular displacement between said cable coupler and said draft coupler when the latter is engaged with an opposing coupler. 1

2. In combination, a draft coupler, an electric cable coupler, cooperating means between said couplers for holding the cable coupler in a definite relation to the draft coupler when the latter is disengaged from an opposing coupler, and means on said couplers for maintaining the cable coupler operatively united to an opposing cable coupler but angularly shiftable with respect to the draft coupler when the latter is engaged with an opposing draft coupler.

3. In combination, a draft coupler, an electric cable coupler, and means comprising interengaging )rojections on said draft and cable couplers or holding said cable coupler in a given position on said draft coupler, and responsive to engagement of said couplers with opposing draft and cable couplers respectively for providing for angular displacement of the cable couplers with respect to the draft couplers.

4:..In combination, a draft coupler, an electric cable coupler, interengaging projections on said draft and cable couplers re spectively, said projections having cooperating forward portions of tapered formation and cooperating rearward portions providing for .relative pivotal movement between the cable coupler and the draft coupler.

of said projections in engagement with each other.

6. In combination, a draft coupler and an electric cable coupler, means whereby the cable coupler is held in fixed relation to said draft coupler when the latter is disengaged form an opposing coupler, and means whereby said cable coupler is freed for pivotal movement with respect to said draft coupler when the latter is engaged with an opposing coupler.

In combination, a draft coupler, an electric cable coupler, cooperating projecttions on said couplers respectively, said projections having portions precluding pivotal movement of the cable coupler with respect to the draft coupler and other ortions providing bearings for tilting of the, cable coupler with respect to the draft coupler when the first mentioned portions are out of action.

8. In combination, a draft coupler, an electric cable coupler, one of said couplers having a projection of truncated formation, a sleeve element on the other coupling having a truncated portion adapted to receive said projection for preventing rotation of the electric cable coupling, said sleeve element having a portion thereof providing for pivotal movement of said cable coupler when the latter is displaced longitudinally of said draft coupler.

9. In combination, a draft coupling, an electric cable coupling, a projection of trancated formation on one of said couplings, a sleeve member having a truncated inner portion adapted to receive said projection, said sleeve member being on the other of said couplings and having a portion cooperating with said projection to provide for pivotal movements of the electric cable coupler when the latter is displaced longitudinally of the draft coupling, the periphery of said projection cooperating with said sleeve member to completely close the latter.

10. In combination, a draft coupler, an electric cable coupler, and means precluding pivotal movement of said cable coupler with respect to said draft coupler when the latter is disengaged from an opposing coupler but permitting relative longitudinal movement between said cable coupler and said draft coupler, said means providing for relative pivotal movement between said cable coupler and said draft coupler in response to relative longitudinal movement therebetween.

11. In combination, a draft coupler, an electric cable coupler, and cooperating means on said couplers comprising a sleeve member and a projection cooperating therewith for maintaining the cable coupler in a given position on the draft coupler and for providing for angular displacement of the cable coupler with respect to the draft coupler when the latter is engaged with an opposing coupler.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILHELM FRIEDRICH KARL KAISER. 

